Spellbound
by chrystal-destiny
Summary: Robyne is the granddaughter of legendary keyblade master Sora. Her life is indifferent, no one notices her, and she wields a wooden keyblade dubbed “spellbound”. When Raine, grandson of Riku, sets out to kill her on the assumption her blade is real, Robyn
1. I dubbed it spellbound

Robyne is the granddaughter of legendary keyblade master Sora. Her life is indifferent, no one notices her, and she wields a wooden keyblade dubbed "spellbound". When Raine, grandson of Riku, sets out to kill her on the assumption her blade is real, Robyne finds herself inches from death. Brought back to health by the one who almost destroyed her Robyne finds her wooden sword is what saved her, as long as it stays wooden Raine will protect her and only use her as a princess of heart. Robyne has no doubts about the falsity of her blade, but what affect will it have on Raine and Robyne's shaky relationship when the blade turns out not so fake?

Disclaimer: umm, nothing but the plot belongs to me, oh and Robyne and Raine (hehehe) Sorry if I messed up a bit on the original plot line, I was half asleep when I watched the cut scenes :S 

Spellbound 

**Chapter 1:** I dubbed it "Spellbound"

The black and red blade fit nicely into the palm of my hand, I swung it around savoring the sound it made as it cut through the air. I lowered it wistfully staring at its glossy surface. Unbenounct to my grandfather I had dubbed the blade "spellbound". I knew if he found out his blue eyes would stop twinkling and although he would act kind, he would patiently explain that my blade was wood and however hard I tried it would not become a keyblade.

My name is Robyne. I have musty Auburn hair and violet eyes; I live with my grandparents, Kairi and former keyblade master Sora.

Living with a legend is anything but easy, if anything it is almost as hard as living as the legend himself. I have heard the tale of my grandfather's legacy many times, like my brothers it is a part of life, and as much as I want to forget it the tale is embedded into my being. Although I am 15 I feel like I have in the past too young. Correction, I feel old, but I am treated like a baby. My four older brothers barely notice me; they are too busy training to be the new keyblade master. My grandfather still believes I'm seven and my grandmother doesn't bother to correct him.

Although our worlds seem far from trouble my grandfather is convinced that someday we will need a new keyblade master, that is why when we were old enough he made us all a wooden blade, in the hopes it would someday turn into the keyblade he once wielded. He wasn't going to make me one, but I looked so forlorn and bored he sympathized and roughly created an outline. Four years have passed since then and my wooden keyblade has undergone serious redesign. I spent all of my waking hours creating equations to make the blade slice through the air, I used a small pocket knife to make the edge razor sharp and I spent hours creating intricate designs on the handle. Just recently I had begged red and black paint from my brothers and painted the blade so majestically it no longer looked wooden. It is my pride and joy.

All my life I have lived not feeling whole, even though he grew to love me my grandfather had desperately wanted a fifth grandson, and I don't think he ever forgave me for the death of my mother and the insanity of my father. My grandmother is, sadly, the closest thing I have to a friend. She is the only person on the destiny islands I can talk too, except for Goofy, but he and Donald spend too much time travelling to visit much. It was my grandmother who showed me the secret cave that holds the door that started grandfather's journey, it was her who taught me how to be a girl and it was her who wiped my tears away. Sometimes I suspect my grandfather would have put me up for adoption if I didn't look so much like my grandmother. I think that's the only thing I like about myself, the Auburn hair and violet eyes, it makes me feel I have a link that keeps me on this island and part of this life.

My four brothers in order of the eldest are Sora, Rowyn, Kaiyle, and Pierce. Pierce is the closest to my age at 17 so it is him who usually sticks up for me. I remember when I was younger, my brother doted on me, they threw me in the air and made me forget the sadness my life had brought. As they were trained I became nothing but a wall shadow, a cute little sister to make the older girls notice them or a toy to show off with. I used to like being shown off, I thought my brothers did it because they were proud of me. Reality struck when I was ten and I set out to play pranks on all the girls that had once cooed and called me "adorable".

_"Where's the brat?" Sora asked leaning casually on a palm tree "there's a new girl I want to meet."_

"_Hey" protested Rowyn "you got to use her last time, it's my turn!"_

"_No way" snorted Kaiyle "You got that Rikki girl using the brat, it's my turn"_

_Sora grinned in a way that made Robyne think of a lion. _

"_Let's see who finds her first " he suggested before sprinting towards the hut_

_Rowyn and Kaiyle were quick to regain their senses as they chased after him. In a tall palm tree a small violet-eyed figure watched in disbelief. Her eyes filled and tears streaked their way down her face._

"_The brat" Rowyn's voice echoed in her head "the brat. THE brat, THE BRAT, THE BRAT"_

I lifted the blade again swinging it with a practiced art, I made my way around the clearing in a majestic pattern dance, concentrating so hard I didn't notice the green eyes boring a hole in my skull.

* * *

Raine watched the slight figure swinging the sword down below. He snorted in almost amusement. His silvery hair waved in the breeze and distracted him for only a second. When he looked back he felt a flash of hatred towards the girl. The blade she wielded so carelessly was the legendary keyblade that should have been his. He frowned in concentration as he memorized the girl's movements, this would be easy. All he had to do was kill the girl, get the keyblade, take her heart and collect the other princesses of heart. Once that was done Raine would have no trouble regaining the heart his grandfather, Riku, lost to the heartless three months ago.

Sighing in boredom Raine looked and saw his grandfather's so called friend, Sora. He scowled, anger twisting his features. That was the keyblade master that had saved the worlds once before and was supposed to be training a successor. Raine shook his head, A _successor_? A girl almost a head shorter than him, was supposed to save the worlds? He wouldn't, couldn't believe it. The heartless were strong; the girl's heart would not withstand one attack. He would be back, and when he left the girl's heart would belong to him. Then he'd break it.

* * *

There was a "change in wind" the next morning, as grandma Kairi called it. I woke shivery to the sounds of thunder. A drastic change of weather compared to the sunny sky of the day before. I stiffly got out of bed and almost fell the 10 meters that separated the floor from my bed. I waited until the morning fogginess in my brain receded before climbing carefully down the rope ladder to the ground floor. I grabbed spellbound and went to the kitchen for a quick breakfast. When I got there Grandma Kairi was bustling about, filling the kitchen with wonderful smells. To my surprise Grandpa Sora was there as well, staring gravely at the blade held loosely by my side. I sat quietly and smiled as Grandma filled my plate with heaps of delicious food. Casting a warning glance at my grandfather my grandmother went out the door.

Grandpa didn't waste any time beating around the bush; he got to the point right away,

"That wooden blade you hold" he said seriously "surely that is not the blade I made you?"

"It is!" I replied quickly, explaining the changes I had made.

"Well" my grandfather replied once I had finished "In that case I think you are now too old for such trifles, the blade must be burned"

I gaped at my grandfather, _burned_? My spellbound? The creation I had spent months on?

"No" I said quickly glancing in fear at my grandfather "you can't do that"

"I can and I will" he replied harshly, "I have thought, lately of how tomboyish you have become. I blame myself completely for my poor attention towards you. To try and make up for my mistakes you will be sent to Hollow Bastion" He sighed, sorrow filling his eyes   
"Robyne, please forgive me" he said "I have been a poor grandfather" With that he stood and walked slowly out of the kitchen.

After that all I remember is running. I didn't cry, I was too old for that but I must have run around the island four times. I stopped when I reached the thickest part of the palm grove and sank down to my knees. I held spellbound in my lap, gently stroking its smooth finish. I was so immersed in my own thoughts I didn't see the blade whisking towards me until almost too late. I moved quickly but not quick enough, the blade hit my shoulder, and white-hot pain threatened to take me out. I quickly stood holding spellbound in front of me even as I knew it would not help me now. My attacker had long silvery hair and green-amber eyes that made me shiver. If he was not trying to kill me I might have thought him attractive.

He hit again, his sharp blade chipping spellbound's majestic paint, I blocked frantically, every swing he took at me seemed to be my last. He finally struck a blow to my left leg, I fell, weary from the loss of blood from my shoulder wound. My eyes glazed over as he came towards me blade raised, I held spellbound up in a futile attempt to somehow evade the unevadeable death. All of a sudden the boy stopped. His eyes filled with confusion as he grabbed spellbound from my hand and examined it carefully. Just before I completely blacked out I saw him lift me carefully and take me through some shimmering wall. I'm not entirely sure though, I was quite delirious.

* * *

Raine realized his mistake the moment he was about to strike the fatal blow. He had, in some trick of the light seen a chip of paint revealing a wooden surface. He had been filled with confusion, and dread. He snatched the blade from the dying girl's hand and examined it carefully. It was wood.

"shit, shit, shit" Raine swore as he looked in concern towards the almost unconscious girl, this was his fault. He had almost killed her! For a piece of wood! He lifted her up gently and saw her fall into unconsciousness as he took her to his home.


	2. The Dragon's Cave

Random stuff:

First, THANK YOU to all the people who reviewed! I was veryvery happy Also sorry if the updates are a little slow. My S.S. teacher is very mean and delights in giving us enough homework to keep us up all night (not quite but exaggeration is good right?). hehe, anyway, since I have no idea how this story will turn out if you have an idea for what should happen pleese e-mail me or review me or anything! Thanks again.

To the story!

Disclaimer: Ablah, same as in chap.1 I don't own anything but the plot and Robyne and Raine hehehe.

Chapter 2: The Dragon's cave

I awoke to an immense pain in my shoulder and leg. Not an entirely pleasing way to wake. I lay still with one thought running circles through my head

"Why did he try to kill me? Why did he save me?" none of it made any sense. I would have said it was a dream, but my pain was quite real. When I finally managed to sit up I almost immediately fell back down. The place I was in was swarming with small black heartless. I had never seen one before but the sign on their chest was indistinguishably familiar. I felt small, lost and alone. Even at home were I had always been ignored I had always felt _something_. Now all there was was…. well….nothing.

* * *

Raine was in a dilemma; he sat uncomfortably in a large hard-backed chair, his head in his hands. What should he do? All his life Raine had felt in control, able to overcome any obstacle. Now he had an obstacle he had no idea how to overcome. He could continue as planned and use the girl's heart, but this would be harder as she was quite alive and probably very aware of the heartless' abilities. No surprise attacks from them. On the other hand he could let her go and forget this had ever happened. It sounded so easy. But Raine wasn't thick, he knew that as soon as she was freed it would be off to dear granddaddy Sora. Raine couldn't risk it, he needed her cooperation, he needed to get the keyblade he NEEDED to at least try to save his grandfather!

All of a sudden Raine sat up straight; it was so simple! He could have kicked himself. All he had to do was wait until the real keyblade appeared then use the girl as a hostage. He needed to maintain some sort of relationship with her, though. Some sort of immunity that would keep her within his reaches yet far enough away that she would still think she was safe.

It may have been because he was bleary with sleep or maybe he was thinking about the wrong thing because at that critical moment Raine forgot one important piece of advice Riku had once given him.

"_Don't ever underestimate Sora's abilities, he is extremely clever and has all the luck in the world on his side. If you ever plan to go against him do it cleverly. Fight fire with fire and never EVER take something he hold dear to his heart, he would turn heaven and all the worlds into chaos to get it back."_

_

* * *

_

_"spellbound…"_ It whispered _"spellbound.." _

I suppose I must have fallen asleep, my dreams were filled with strange creatures that glided through shadows and haunted towns, For some reason I couldn't get a grip on reality. I tried but I suppose the blood loss had been too great. Concerned amber-green eyes looked down at me and I recognized the face of my assassin… and savior. I fixed my gaze on him giving him look for look as I silently asked the unanswerable. As he tore his eyes away I saw a glimpse of vulnerability. For just a second I saw the face of someone who has witnessed what no human should ever witness, I saw a great sadness and, as the boy's face grew closed once again I saw guilt. If the situation had been different, if I hadn't seen what I had I wouldn't have done it. But I trusted enough in my instincts. I weakly raised my arms my eyes cloudy with pain

"Help me, please" I whispered. And he did.

* * *

The bed was soft, soft and warm. I felt like I was drowning in pillows. I felt a cool breeze enter the room and disturb the stillness of the sheets. When I've heard people describe traumatic events they say they've woken up in the morning to have it all come "rushing back". I would categorize "almost dying" in the column of traumatic events but it did not come "rushing back". The memory was just there, an engraving in stone that could wear out and fade but never disappear completely.

I estimated I had been sleeping for about two days. I felt alive and full of life. All that remained of my injuries was a distant throb every once in a while. My brain was clear and was already beginning to formulate ideas and theories at it's own accord. I sat up slowly my eyes widening at the splendor of the small bedroom. You would never guess this place housed thousands of heartless. The walls were a shimmering blue that rippled when light touched it. Silky soft sheets covered the bed; the bed itself seemed to be emitting heat. I have to admit I was awestruck, but what amazed me the most was a small fountain in the middle of the room. The water flowing from an ornate ceramic sculpture fractured the light and sent it dancing on the walls, creating an overall underwater mood. I could have sat there all day watching the patterns dance but I knew that if I were to ever get out of here it would be now.

I was slightly guilty knowing that despite his hard first impression the boy had helped me, but I knew that the doors were closing and if I didn't act I would be trapped here forever. The boy wouldn't just sit and watch as I made my way out, he had gone through to much trouble for that. I would have to be sneaky.

I stood carefully; relief flowing over me as I realized my days in bed had not disturbed my physical strength. I was still in the clothes I had arrived in but someone had neatly bandaged my wounds. There was no visible door in my room and as far as I could see the only way out was the large bay window. I made my way carefully, thinking a thought through. I paused and examined a light beam as it hit the fountain. There was something funny about the way the light fractured. I looked closer and saw that there was a tiny mirror hidden beneath ripples of water. I followed the light beam towards the wall were I noticed a small indent. It would be impossible to notice unless you knew what you were looking for. I walked over and brushed the indent with the tip of my finger. It was too symmetrical to have been made accidentally. I pressed firmly and smiled as a hidden mechanism went "click". How extremely cliché.

Without making a sound the small fountain slid out of its niche, revealing a narrow stairway. Barely hesitating I headed into the darkness. The small corridor completely contrasted with the peaceful haven I had just left. The dim lighting gave me some limited visibility but the walls seemed to be closing in on me. My imagination started to create monsters and every corner I turned seemed to be my last. I wished then, with all my heart that I had the comfort of spellbound. The blade's handle, worn with wear, had fit perfectly in my hand; I could almost feel the warmth of the wood….

* * *

Raine knew the second the girl awoke he felt her vital signs quicken as she scanned her room. He had put her in his favorite room. He didn't know why. It must have been the way her eyes seemed to pierce his soul as she whispered

"Help me, please". It was if she had caught him in a trance, he vaguely remembered carrying her to that room and cleaning her wounds but….

He frowned; it seemed the girl was quicker than she looked, it had only taken her all of five minutes to find the hidden door. He didn't start to worry, not yet, he could sense everything in this castle he knew what each and every one of the heartless were doing, and, more importantly he knew exactly where the girl was headed. Raine yawned and stepped out the door, before you could blink an eye he was gone, enveloped into a cloud of green magic.

* * *

I stiffened as an arm encircled my waist. I bit my lip to keep from screaming while I tried in vain to get away.

"Where are you going?" A voice drawled in my ear "we haven't even been properly introduced."

The boy, my assassinating savior spun me around, keeping a firm grip on my arms. For the first time I was able to get a good look at him and was surprised by how much he resembled the pictures my Grandfather had assembled of the friend he once had…Riku. His silvery hair waved gently in the drafty corridor and his amber-green eyes were cool and emotionless. If there was anything left of the boy who had saved me, I couldn't see it.

"I won't run" I said stiffly and slightly relaxed as the boy relieved me of his grip.

Suddenly the boy's icy eyes softened, he held out his hand and said formally

"I am Raine, and you are?" His question echoed through the halls and I wouldn't have answered if I hadn't seen a hint of a smile in Raine's face. Was he _teasing_ me?

"Robyne" I answered keeping my voice neutral.

"Ah" he said as if by simply telling him my name I had revealed my deepest secrets. "You don't look like your grandfather" he said rather offhandedly "You have you grandmother's eyes and hair but your face seems all your own."

I was shocked, he knew my grandparents? Though, if he really was related to Riku that would make sense. Despite myself I was pleased with his observations. I didn't let it show, however, and soon grew suspicious of this overly charming Raine. I might still have a chance, the doors were not yet closed, if only…..

Almost as if reading my mind spellbound appeared in front of me, the red-black blade shimmered slightly, something it had never done before as it was held in suspension by Raine's magic. I looked warily at Raine, who nodded slightly. Without any hesitation I took hold of spellbound, it fit even better than before. Someone had fixed up the chips in the paint and all that was left to remind me of its harsh trial were two deep dents.

"You fought well before" said Raine, as a dark blue blade appeared before him "Let's see how well you fight when your life is not on the line."

Without warning Raine attacked, I defended quickly my arms remembering long hours of drills. Even as I fought I admired the boneless grace of Raine's attacks, each pattern bled into each other making it seamless. There was no opening for me to switch the tables so I concentrated on defending while using as little energy as possible. The blades clashed, over and over the sound echoing eerily throughout the hallway. I finally saw an opening; I attacked bringing spellbound in a crescent to meet with Raine's blade. The simple attack brought us into a body-bind. Extremely bad for me as I was significantly weaker than Raine. He forced me back a few paces until my back was flush with the wall.

"Nice fighting" he said as he broke off.

As I gasped for breath, trembling from the use of adrenaline. I noticed with a twinge of jealousy that Raine hadn't even broken a sweat. He held out his hand and spellbound disappeared. This guy was smart, he knew I wouldn't leave without spellbound. I was trapped. The doors were closed.

Yay! That's another chapter finished. I hope you liked it

É.A.


	3. Shattered Tears

Hello again! Thanks again for all the reviews and suggestions! Some ppl were wondering about the POV of the story. To be completely honest I've got no idea why I put Robyne's POV in first-person and Raine's in 3rd person limited omniscient (big words thanx 2 English 9 :S hehe) umm I think I did it because I wasn't really planning for there to be a part of the story that switched views (blah). Anyway I think it would be kinda weird to change the POV at this point but if you think it gets too weird and confusing I can change it . I'll put lines in when the POV's change (thanks to Risako's suggestion) anyway review and tell me what u think . (oh, I'm also trying something new in how I present the POV's I'll still use the lines, but I'll put the person's name in (that sounds confusing) tell me what u think)(thanx to QueenoftheShadowFang's suggestion) 0.o :)

Disclaimer: yah same as always, All I own is the plot and the made-up characters

Chapter 3: Shattered Tears

_Raine:_

_"Come Raine" Said Riku, in a whispery yet strong voice. "It is time you learned the secrets behind the glorious journey of the legendary Sora." Raine listened, transfixed as his Grandfather trapped him in a web of words._

"_Someday" said Riku "Your life will change, the keyblade will be reborn. You must be prepared. You must make your heart strong and hard, yet you must know when it is time to let someone in" Raine glanced up, surprised. This was a side of Riku he had never seen. Raine watched his grandfather's eyes grow far away as he said_

"_We were friends, once, but much has changed. We are not enemies now but events in the past have created great chasms around us. Neither of us is willing to jump. You Raine, will take flight in the near future, what path will you choose?"_

_Riku held out his hand, it was wrinkled with age, yet rippled with strong wiry muscles, Raine watched as the long slender fingers became laced with green light_

"_Are you afraid of the darkness?"_

* * *

"_Are you afraid of the darkness?"_

Raine knew people would kill for the power he held so carelessly in his palms. The power to control the heartless, his gift and his curse.

To Raine it seemed that all the events leading to his grandfather's demise seemed to revolve around Sora. It was odd, but Raine didn't completely hate Sora. He found it impossible to hate someone who had only been described through words. It was true that when he saw Sora for the first time an emotion not unlike hate had swept through him, yet Raine could not help but reluctantly admire the strength of the heart that beat within the old man. Because of this Raine had no idea how to act towards Robyne, Sora's granddaughter. He knew he must act hospitable towards the girl but this was a necessity. Inside Raine had no idea how to feel. Since he was young his grandfather had taught him how to hide his emotions and keep his heart closed. He thought he had been good at that until Robyne came along. For the first time he had let his emotionless façade slip, letting the girl see vulnerability. He wouldn't do it again.

* * *

_Robyne:_

I was trapped again, a prisoner in a room of beauty. The door was not locked but I could not go. Spellbound, my spellbound was in the hands of Raine. I still had no idea why Raine tried to kill me but I think it has something to do with the unborn keyblade. Already there was such a dilemma, over something that may never again exist. I shudder to think what wars will be fought if the keyblade once again is granted to a keybearer.

I used to think our worlds would never again be tainted by darkness but now I know how wrong I have been. After seeing all these heartless I am beginning to see the light in my grandfather's enclosed personality. Like Riku and possibly Raine he has seen hearts devoured and worlds destroyed. It's no wonder he wanted to train a new keybearer, I don't think he actually ever believed that the darkness was truly gone.

Sora's blood runs deep in my veins, yet I have never felt so unconnected. At first all I wanted to do was to run home and tell my grandfather of my discovery, of the secret cove of heartless. I wanted his face to look at me in respect as he told me I had been part of another legend. Now I know that would never happen. My name may come up in a few retellings of the story, but it would be filled with the courageous adventures of the four grandchildren of Sora. The four _grandsons_, the granddaughter would be a wall shadow once more.

_

* * *

_

_Sora:_

Sora had never felt so out of control, his only granddaughter was missing. He had to admit he had used her as scapegoat, blaming her for the insanity of her father, his beloved son, but Sora knew his blood ran in her veins just as it did in her brothers. In spite of his anxiety Sora felt a flare of excitement. He wanted another adventure. Sora knew he was too old for such trivial dreams but he couldn't extinguish a spark that had flared within him since the keyblade had first been wielded. Walking slowly to a cupboard long hidden in dust he removed 4 blades. Dubbed "Oblivion", "Crabclaw", "Divine rose" and "Metal Chocobo" these blades were the remissions of the keyblades once wielded by himself. Each blade was infused with magical ability and hummed under Sora's hand as they were reverently placed on the table. His face set in a familiar determined line Sora waited for his grandson's to come and accept the beginnings of their legacies.

_

* * *

_

_Robyne:_

All my life I had wanted something exciting to happen, now that it had I just wanted it to be over. I got off the bed and pressed the indent in the wall. There was no need to be discreet, I had already discovered that Raine knew everything that went on in this castle. I went down the dark stairs quietly, something in this hallway forced you to be quiet, a sort of miasma in the air. This time instead of heading straight I turned and went into another passage, I wanted to find Raine, I knew that if I wandered for long enough he would wonder what I was doing and come to me, a bee caught in a trap. My wanderings brought me to a large chapel-like room. Enormous stained glass windows lined the walls making me gasp for breath. Was anything in this castle less than beautiful?

Near the end of the chapel was a small alcove, too high to jump too the alcove was curiously hidden behind a mass of silver pipes and tubes. I examined it carefully looking for a flaw in the structure that could bring it down. Slightly nervous I whispered a word my grandfather had used to bring a tree down from deep within the palm grove.

"_Force_"

At first nothing happened, then slowly a dark mass gathered around the structure. It worked almost too perfectly the spell forced the pipes down creating a -somewhat abstract- staircase. I climbed quickly and nimbly jumped into the small space.

Something dark and crystalline was hidden near the back; I inched forward then pressed my palm to my mouth to keep from crying out. A blue keyhole too large to be ordinary looked out at me from its eerie corner. Unlike the keyholes described to me by Sora this one was filled with a mixture of shadow and light. It had obviously not been sealed because as I watched a small black critter made it's way into the alcove. As I watched it stumble awkwardly into the chapel a strange feeling overtook me. I collapsed onto hands and knees as a sadness of overwhelming proportions swept through me. It was as if a cork had popped out of an overly shaken bottle of pop. Everything that had plagued me from the moment I became unnoticed came rushing back, memories I had kept hidden swept through my vision as tears long uncried poured out of my eyes. I was cold, colder than I had ever been. In this secluded area I started to lose my grip on everything real and precious. I saw my life flash before my eyes as my heart threatened to break into a thousand pieces. In this moment of desperation the most unlikely person came to my aid. Now that I think about it maybe he wasn't so unlikely after all.

_

* * *

_

_Raine:_

Raine wasn't used to having hysteric girls in his arms. Actually he wasn't used to having _any_ girls in his arms. He sat uncomfortably as Robyne's unexplained tears slowed then stopped.

Raine knew what had almost happened, what had begun to happen but he didn't know why it stopped. The mysterious keyhole Robyne had found was one made by Riku, only he could seal it and he wasn't in a very capable position to do that. In fact the keyhole was one-of-a-kind. Instead of letting heartless into Raine's world it created them, an unlikely side-affect was that it took hearts to feed it's growing hunger. Raine had sensed Robyne's heart being separated from her body and was unsure why the separation hadn't happened. He guessed it was because of the nature of her heart. Robyne's heart was pure, as far as Raine could tell, and he was now sure that she was one of the long-lost princesses of heart. Everyone else that had wandered into the castle had not left; their hearts had been devoured without any resistance.

Frowning slightly Raine realized Robyne's close separation with her heart and her tears had left her unconscious. He sighed and lifted her up, not the first time he had done this.

_

* * *

_

_Robyne:_

I didn't even bother to open my eyes. I knew where I was and was almost ashamed. For the second time I had lost consciousness leaving my vague life in the hands of someone I might never truly know. I was grateful for his decision to let me live but I did not want to be trapped by the bonds of debt. Lying now in a bed that seemed as familiar as my own I opened my eyes and stared as the serenity of my room clashing with the indecision of the incomprehensible Raine. He was asleep on a chair on the other side of the room and in that state of being he almost looked human. No lines wrinkled his forehead and I felt a stab of pity for the boy Raine had not become.

Raine opened his eyes and violet clashed with amber-green. For one second Raine's face remained in it's sleepy state. He sat up and his face was creased with its all-familiar lines.

_Back On the Destiny Islands…_

When Rowyn had forged his first sword he had felt strong and in control. He remembered the pure delight and self-pride he had felt when he first swung the majestic blade.

Now as he stood in solemnity he held that same blade, without reverence he gave it to his grandfather in exchange for the blade he had called "Divine Rose". Rowyn felt the power of the new blade as he swung it back and forth. He grinned without happiness as he re-dubbed the blade "Eternal Darkness".

Deep within the palm grove Rowyn stood in seclusion, he knew it was here, all he had to do was wait. The darkness was coming, and he was ready. It hit him like a giant steamroller; barreling him over and almost making him lose control. But he didn't, he fought it, he controlled it and he rode the beast that was the darkness. Now with Eternal Darkness in his hand and the power of darkness coursing through his veins, Rowyn felt powerful, and he liked it.

As Sora gave the last majestic blade, Oblivion to his youngest grandson he felt the overwhelming force of an immense darkness. He shoved the blade into Pierce's hands startling the boy and almost causing him to fall over. Sora stood shakily his face pale and pinched with fear. What he had fought against so many years ago was back and there was no keyblade to fight it. With a sigh of someone who had reached his last resort he turned to Pierce. Fumbling with a clasp he removed a small black pouch. As he placed the pouch in Pierce's uncertain palms Sora whispered with intense volumes.

"Take this pouch and guard it with your life, you will know when the time comes to open it. Take your new blade and use it to fight, use it to travel to new worlds and find your sister. The fate of the worlds is resting on your shoulders, who knows what path the darkness may take. Channel your fear and never forget the light."

With that Sora patted Pierce's hand gently.

"Don't forget the light"

It was then that Sora made the mistake of his life, he had sensed the darkness, and he knew it was coming but he never managed to put the pieces together. For it was not on Pierce's shoulders the fate of the world lay, it was on the most unlikely person in Sora's mind, Robyne.

_

* * *

_

_Raine:_

As Raine looked at Robyne's bright violet eyes he made a sudden decision. He stood slowly; still trying to decide if what he was doing was a good idea. His mind told him it wasn't but his instinct told him yes. Usually Raine would not have trusted his instincts but so much had happened in the past few days he didn't know what to do anymore, he decided to give it a try.

Taking a deep breath to calm his tingling nerves Raine held out a hand to Robyne.

"Come with me please" he left no room for argument.

Robyne looked surprised for a second but quickly recovered; she stood and looked suspiciously at Raine's hand. Unsurprisingly she didn't take it and said emotionlessly.

"I'll follow you"

Raine nodded curtly and led the way to the most southern wall. Concentrating briefly he separated the molecules and stepped through, a few seconds later Robyne followed. Raine glanced at her for a second and was pleased to see she did not look too shocked. Robyne knew how to accept things and not ask questions. Raine led her through a multitude of hidden entrances, many of which did not seem to have ever been there. He finally brought her to a long set of spiraling ebony staircase.

"I am bringing you to see Riku, my grandfather," said Raine softly, he didn't look at Robyne. "You are the first human to ever see him in this state. Treat this as a… privilege."

Raine sensed Robyne nod and was grateful for her decision to stay silent.

_

* * *

_

_Robyne_

I suppose I should have been scared, or, at the very least, nervous. But I wasn't, my body was trembling with something like adrenaline but wasn't. I felt honoured, panicky, and excited at the same time. The seemingly endless ebony staircase loomed before me and imposed the thought of something even more foreboding at it's top.

As Raine had said, my visit to Riku was a privilege, something no other human had ever been given. This thought led me to the question, "Are there even any other humans in this castle?" If there were I had never seen one. I didn't say the question out loud. Not yet, I needed to wait for the correct moment, I also needed some more proof. Proof that I might be able to gradually begin to trust Raine.

As we started on the long ascend up the dark staircase, the feeling of foreboding grew. I was quickly out of breath and tried not to pant as I tried to match Raine's swift steps. To my dismay he wasn't even the barest bit winded. I guessed this was why he was in such good shape, his endless climbs and rendezvous around this enormous place.

As I saw a doorway at the top of the staircase, I was filled -for the first time-, with fear. How would I react to meeting Riku? Whether or not he had a heart he was still the antagonist of my grandfather's stories. How should I feel about such a person? For all my life Riku had just been a character, a member of a story that I could not believe to be real. For all my life Riku had only existed in my imagination. I stopped, I didn't think I could do this. As if sensing my turmoil Raine turned, he descended a few steps until he was at my level then gently grabbed my palm. I was too shocked to react as Raine drew one slim finger across it.

"You have a long lifeline" Raine said, not looking up "But your fate line suggests indecision"

Raine looked up at me and smiled sadly.

"When I was younger," he said "My grandfather taught me how to palm read, it is not accurate, but apparently Kairi was superstitious" He glanced up at my face once more "It was she that taught him how to do that"

I was surprised and didn't bother hiding it. I knew that my grandmother had lived on the same island as Riku and had even been friends with him, but this shocked me back to reality. Just a few paces forward lay the very person I thought of only as a memory.

Raine didn't let go of my hand as he tugged me forward.

"Come on" he said quietly "I know how you must be feeling, but I need you to see Riku"

I was in a dilemma, was this really Raine? He seemed to genuinely care, but this went against all I had put together. It seemed that Raine had more sides than a Rubix cube and was 10 times as confusing. With my chest tightening I let Raine lead me up the last few stairs and through the door.

* * *

Hehehehehehehe sort of cliffie 

Oi, that really took me a long time to update:S, sry about that, but this chapter is a bit longer so hopefully it makes up for that . Thank you for reading and thank you for all the reviews and suggestions. :D You can E-mail me about what you think or Review! Thanks again :)

Bibi!

Thank you to:

Daniella

QueenOfTheShadowFangs

DreamSummoner

Risako

Lizzard-gurl

SakuraAngelina

Place of Peace

Sry if I missed anyone, but thanks

(oh and anyone from school who read this story and was immensly confuzled :)


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